Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention are in the field of portable vacuum pressure measurement. More specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure may include a vacuum pressure gauge that generates graphics to assist a user in identifying and spotting trends or changes in vacuum, or the like. For example, embodiments of the present disclosure may comprise a gauge communicatively coupled with sensors for plotting real-time and historical data on a display, or the like.
Embodiments of the present invention may include a device for calculating and displaying trends or changes in vacuum via a hand held device or through communication to a mobile or computing device, or the like.
Description of Related Art
Instruments used to measure pressure are called pressure gauges or vacuum gauges. Vacuum gauges have many commercial, scientific, and industrial applications, such as laboratory, coating, metalizing, distillation, refrigeration, freeze dryers, assembly lines, vacuum ovens, and/or the like. One example of such a gauge is a micron gauge. A micron gauge measures the amount of air or noncondensables and moisture in a system in units of microns. The lower the micron reading, the deeper the vacuum and lower the amount of air and moisture in any given system. Most vacuum and pressure gauges display a current reading through an indicator needle against a scale, a digital numerical reading, voltage, or digital output. Typically, pressure and vacuum instrumentation may display a number indication representing a current reading, and in some instances an instantaneous relative reading relative to the total range of the instrument.
Some vacuum instrumentation may indicate increasing or decreasing pressure, indicated by an up arrow, down arrow or colors. Other solutions may display a leak rate. However, these solutions are limited, because, inter alia, users of vacuum instrumentation have no way of visualizing or accessing prior measurements or data using these instruments. None of these solutions include a time vs. pressure graph in a portable device, or even a device with internet/Ethernet connectivity capability.
Some solutions may include pressure set points that allow the user to be notified when a particular pressure level is reached, but do not use Ethernet, internet, or wireless communication capability. None of these instruments have the ability to display, log or transmit vacuum data wirelessly to a device such as a smart phone, tablet, or the like. In addition, none of these instruments generate and display trends in vacuum pressure. An instrument that would generate and display trends in vacuum pressure would be useful in allowing a user, such as a technician or engineer, to be able to more quickly identify problems and implement solutions.
As such, a need exists for a vacuum pressure gauge that may assist a user in identifying and spotting trends or changes in vacuum, or the like.